Scottish Panoramas: The Stirling gardens where kings and queens once roamed

TEDDY JAMIESON

THERE is no royalty here now. Monday evening, September 7, 2020, and the King’s Knot belongs only to dogs and dog walkers. Sitting beneath Stirling Castle’s rock, squeezed in between a golf course and the grand houses of Kings Park, it is a physical reminder of another time, when Stirling was at the heart of Scotland’s story.

The King’s Knot, a three-tiered octagonal earthwork that rises to three metres high, was once part of the formal gardens of Stirling Castle that looks down on it. Another earth structure, truncated by Raploch Road, called the Queen’s Knot can be made out too.

This and the area that surrounds it was once royal land, the “King’s Park”, dating back to at least the 12th century (the first reference dates to 1190 during the reign of William the Lion). Jousting, hawking and hunting were the order of the day long before anyone smacked a golf ball down the first fairway.

The origins of the King’s Knot itself are slightly murky. The term “knot” meant an ornamental garden in late medieval times. According to the Historic Scotland sign at the site, “the garden with its octagonal, stepped mound, or knot, was probably laid out in 1627-8 by William Watts, a “skilful and well-experimented” gardener who was brought from England to supervise the Royal Gardens at Stirling and elsewhere.

At the time the gardens had been neglected, and “for lack of attendance become wilde and overgrown with bushes and brambles,” according to a warrant sent from Whitehall to John, Earl of Mar, the principal treasurer of Scotland. As a result, the warrant claimed, they were “an imputatioun to that wholle kingdom”.

It’s been suggested that the work to restore the gardens to their previous splendour was taken out to mark the “hamecoming” of Charles I – his Scottish coronation – in 1633. Their renewed splendour wasn’t to last, though, and by 1777 Nimmo’s History of Stirlingshire argued that because of “long neglect, and the natural wetness of the soil, the place is now little better than a marsh”.

It was only in Victorian times that the knot’s historical significance was properly recognised and in 1867 the Office of Works restored it to its present condition.

There are suggestions, based more on romance than evidence, that in ancient times the knot was the site of King Arthur’s round table. Whatever the truth of it, the King’s Knot is now a familiar dimple in the landscape, a marker on the edge of Stirling of what once was.

WHY DO YOU GO THERE?

Arran is absolutely my favourite place in the world. The moment I step on the ferry I feel relaxed and happy. From my childhood to now, it’s where I go to escape, recuperate and recharge.

And I love the fact the mobile phone signal is patchy, because sometimes it’s nice to be unavailable.

We holidayed there for many years when I was younger, and we all continue to visit many times a year. Nostalgia pulls me back, but the island has changed so much and there’s still so much I’ve yet to discover. What always remains constant is just how beautiful it is.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU GO?

Less often than I would like these days. I try to make sure I spend at least a weekend there every few months. I was last there in February and will be heading back as soon as I can.

HOW DID YOU DISCOVER IT?

I believe we started going there as a family sort of by accident. We used to all pile in a camper van and drive to France for the summer holidays. I think at some point my mum pointed out that it wasn’t much of a holiday when most of it was spent with three children in a tiny van driving for hours. So, they found a farmhouse in Shiskine and from then it was Arran all the way.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORY?

I learned to play golf there and some of my favourite times were spent on the Machrie and Shiskine courses wandering around with my dad. But I also remember the battle to put up the windbreak on the beach, the hours spent playing board games (we had no television to distract us) and the rock pools in Brodick.

WHO DO YOU TAKE?

I take my wife but I love showing the place off to friends. I had my 30th birthday party there and it was quite the night to remember.

WHAT DO YOU TAKE?

The key to my enjoyment of the island is making sure I’ve layered correctly. I always have wet weather gear, but it’s also essential to be prepared for bright sunshine. And, of course, midges regularly make an appearance, so protection from them is essential.

WHAT DO YOU LEAVE BEHIND?

Nothing. My memories stay fresh in my mind and I always make new ones when I go back.

SUM IT UP IN FIVE WORDS.

Beautiful, friendly, delicious, romantic and gorgeous.

WHAT TRAVEL SPOT IS ON YOUR POST-LOCKDOWN WISH LIST?

I’m taking over from Jane McDonald on the Cruising show on Channel 5 soon so the world will hopefully be my oyster. As someone who is rather terrified of flying, I really want to go back to New York, and I can finally do it by boat.

And I’d love to go back on the Orient Express again. We went on our honeymoon to Venice and I don’t think I’ve ever been on a more luxurious trip in my life.

The new series of Secret Scotland with Susan Calman begins on Channel 5, Friday, 8pm

SUSAN SWARBRICK